Looming Ip bid to join chief executive race

Michael Shum

Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee of the New People's Party may be leaving Legco after 13 years for another attempt to run in the chief executive race.

Pro-establishment parties also see the upcoming Legco elections as a chance to pass the torch amid the pan-democrats' lukewarm response to the revamped electoral system.

Ip, 71, the former secretary for security who stepped down after the government's failed attempt in enacting Basic Law Article 23 in 2003, returned to the political circle in 2008 when she was elected as a lawmaker for the Hong Kong Island constituency.

She announced her intention to join the chief executive race in 2012 and then again in 2017, but was unable to secure sufficient nominations to run on both occasions.

She has been an Executive Council member since 2012.

Sources said Ip has been gearing up for another attempt to become the city's leader and is planning to announce giving up reelection as a lawmaker to "pass the torch" to younger members of the New People's Party, which she cofounded.

Upon media inquiries, Ip said to wait for her party's official announcement.

Sources said Ip is planning to pass the torch in the Hong Kong Island constituency to former Southern district councillor Judy Chan Ka-pui, who lost her seat in the 2019 district council election where the pro-democracy camp won a landslide victory.

Also giving way to youngsters is 69-year-old veteran lawmaker Wong Kwok-kin, who represents the Federation of Trade Unions in Kowloon East constituency since 2008. He said he has been on the frontline for over 10 years and it is time to retire.

"I'd like to take a rest so badly, but it all depends on my party's decision [at a] meeting within the week," Wong said.

Three lawmakers from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong will also not be seeking reelection in December.

Wilson Or Chong-shing, who was recently elected as Kwun Tong district council chairman, last year signaled his intention not to seek reelection, citing family reasons, before the government postponed the Legco elections for a year amid the pandemic.

Import and export sector lawmaker Wong Ting-kwong is expected to pass his seat to Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association vice president Kennedy Wong Ying-ho.

New Territories West's Leung Che-cheung is expected to way to incumbent lawmaker Holden Chow Ho-ding, who was elected through the district council "super seats" in Legco in 2016.

After the electoral changes, all six seats elected among district councillors will be slashed and replaced with mainland organizations.

The pro-democracy camp's previous strongholds - including the information technology, social welfare, legal and education sectors - were also changed from individual votes, to requiring voters to collectively vote as groups.

The electoral changes will also see the number of seats in the functional constituency drop to 30 from the previous 35.

Individuals hoping to stand in the election will also have to obtain two to four nominations from each of the five sectors of the Election Committee, while one is made up entirely of pro-Beijing loyalists.

After obtaining sufficient nominations, those hoping to run would still need to pass through a candidate eligibility review committee, chaired by Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu. Its members include three top officials and three pro-Beijing heavyweights.